Siblings Work in Business (27)
Eun-ji’s composing and arranging skills were close to professional level, even though she lacked practical experience.
Eun-ho’s singing ability was also comparable to that of veteran singers.
But there were countless singers and idols in this country.
Considering the trainees who were practicing their hearts out, the space for Eun-ho and Eun-ji to stand out became even narrower.
‘Having a distinct character could be a big advantage.’
A distinct character helped solidify a fan base.
Which meant a significant increase in income.
The playful, real-life image of Eun-ji and Eun-ho could show a different side of them, contrasting with their professional image.
But what if this plan failed?
‘The risk would also double…’
High risk, high return.
It was a double-edged sword with high risk.
CEO Park contemplated, imagining the worst-case scenarios.
The result?
‘Let’s trust it.’
He had already suffered losses because of Composer Payoff after making a rational decision.
This time, he decided to trust his gut.
He chose the almost unedited raw footage, only replacing the scene of Eun-ji’s messy room with a video of his calico cat.
After uploading the video…
CEO Park had originally planned to leave work for dinner.
But he couldn’t leave his computer.
Refresh.
Refresh again.
He was obsessed with the view count, hoping it would increase even by one.
‘No one’s watching…’
Thinking the title wasn’t catchy enough, CEO Park racked his brain and changed it three times.
But the only number that changed was his own view count.
‘Ah…’
CEO Park suddenly remembered something from the past and closed his eyes for a moment.
It started with stocks he had invested in for the long term.
But contrary to his initial plan, the price kept falling, and he ended up glued to the monitor until the market closed.
‘I’m… a jangdokdae (Korean earthenware pot). I’m a jangdokdae.’
Just like kimchi ripens best when buried and forgotten…
Unable to click the ‘X’ to close the window, CEO Park just shut down his computer.
After the humming of the computer stopped, he finally left his seat and his office.
Today was the day we finally recorded “DUO,” Eun-ji’s new song and E-UNG’s title track.
We could have recorded at the same studio as before, but…
This was all because of Payoff.
Payoff, with malicious intent, had blacklisted us from various studios through his connections.
His connections weren’t just for show; every studio he contacted gave the same apologetic reply.
Thanks to him, the CEO had been busy trying to find a new studio.
Then, like a ray of light, someone came to our rescue.
“Thank you so much for the studio, Ye-chan.”
“Don’t mention it. It’s my honor to be the first to hear our cute juniors’ debut song.”
“You bastard, you’re so…”
“Haha.”
Just as I was quietly listening to the conversation between the CEO and Senior Ji Ye-chan…
Our eyes met.
“Thank you, Senior!”
“T-T-Thank you!”
I bowed deeply, almost folding in half, to express my gratitude.
Lee Eun-ji, whether because it was her first time meeting such a senior artist or because she was a Toxin fan…
Was trembling like an aspen leaf as she bowed her head along with me.
“I heard Eun-ji composed and arranged this song herself.”
“Yes… hehe.”
I felt a chill.
Lee Eun-ji, acting like a completely different person, blushed and answered shyly.
I couldn’t bear to watch and turned my head towards the CEO.
“Can you do it?”
The CEO asked the obvious question as our eyes met.
“I have to pour out all the frustration from working with ‘that’ composer.”
“Hahahaha.”
The CEO burst out laughing and took the GoPro camera from my hand.
“I’ll be counting on you today, cameraman for a day.”
“I should only film Eun-ji.”
“Ah, CEO!”
While I was jokingly bickering with the CEO…
Eun-ji seemed to have finished greeting Senior Ji Ye-chan and was now greeting Engineer Oh Tae-jin, who would be helping us today—he was also the engineer during the OST recording.
“Lee Eun-ji, should I go first?”
“Sure. You can follow the guide, or just record a whole track as you feel it. Can you do it?”
Lee Eun-ji often used the expression “record” when she sang or created melodies on the keyboard.
But since this was her first time in front of proper equipment, she seemed both nervous and excited, her usual words carrying more weight today.
Meanwhile, CEO Park and Ji Ye-chan, who had been quietly watching their conversation, blinked in surprise at Eun-ji’s question.
‘Recording a whole track at once, with just a guide track, not even a mastered song…’
No matter how talented they were, Eun-ji and Eun-ho were still trainees lacking experience.
So, naturally, they thought it was impossible.
Just as CEO Park, Ji Ye-chan, and even Engineer Oh Tae-jin were shaking their heads…
“I’ll try.”
At Eun-ho’s casual reply, as if saying ‘that’s nothing,’ the three of them were taken aback.
Meanwhile, oblivious to the atmosphere outside, Eun-ho calmly entered the recording booth.
Perhaps because it was a familiar place…
Or because the song they were recording was ‘ours’…
He felt less nervous than when he recorded “Some” here.
“Lee Eun-ho.”
“Yeah.”
Putting on the headphones, the feeling of isolation made him momentarily anxious.
But the anxiety quickly disappeared when Lee Eun-ji spoke through the talkback button.
“Do well.”
“Yeah.”
I answered curtly, feeling a bit awkward, but…
“Fighting.”
Eun-ji’s unexpected encouragement made me smile.
“Do well.”
Eun-ji muttered softly.
It was so quiet that it sounded like a breath.
It seemed like a curt greeting to others, but Eun-ji was genuinely cheering for me this time.
Then, a heavy bass drum, completely different from the playful trap beat from before, signaled the start of the song.
“DUO” was completely different from before, with new lyrics and rhythm.
As the intro began, a mischievous wobble bass, symbolizing a nightmare, filled the intro.
But the moment the song entered the verse…
The wobble bass disappeared, and the familiar 808 bass took center stage over the bass drum, followed by the snare drum.
Unlike before, it was a rhythm with only bass and drums, no flashy keyboard or hi-hat.
This song contained all the effort Eun-ji had put in secretly to reclaim the title track from Payoff.
It was a clean and sophisticated start, different from Eun-ji’s usual flashy style.
I had a dream, a dream where you disappeared
Somehow it’s strange, the space is quiet
Ah, reality hits me
Suddenly, the space beside me is empty
Eun-ji closed her eyes, watching Eun-ho sing.
Eun-ho didn’t know yet, but the lyrics of this song were heavily influenced by him.
‘The way he screamed every morning as if waking up from a nightmare before sunrise…’
Whenever I heard his screams from his room, a knock on my door would soon follow.
“What?”
When I asked, Eun-ho always gave the same answer in a sleepy voice.
“You’re there. It’s nothing.”
Maybe it would have been okay if that was all.
But Eun-ho, seemingly dismissing it as just a dream, always forgot about it.
‘Why?’
At first, I found it annoying.
I just dismissed it as strange.
But it happened day after day…
It kept piling up, pricking at my heart.
After that, I asked “Why?” genuinely wanting an answer, but Eun-ho still replied, “It’s nothing.”
「“How would you feel if I suddenly disappeared?”」
Eun-ho’s question from months ago.
「“Oh, I think I’d be freaking relieved.”」
「“Haha.”」
Eun-ho laughed at my answer that day.
His eyes held a deep sadness.
It bothered me.
So I made a guess.
Even shoes come in pairs
One can’t go out alone
Can’t walk on the sharp path alone
If this is reality, I wish it were a dream
He wakes up screaming.
When I ask what’s wrong, he always says, “It’s nothing.”
I was worried, but we weren’t that close, the atmosphere between us wasn’t like that.
The best Eun-ji could do was pretend not to know.
Eun-ho’s singing voice was trembling slightly.
Feeling a lump in her throat, Eun-ji wiped her eyes with her sleeve, hiding her tears.
I thought it was a dream
I wished it were a dream
Why don’t you answer beyond the door
It was the hook.
Perhaps this was what Lee Eun-ho feared the most.
I couldn’t say it out loud, it was too embarrassing.
So I wanted to convey it through the song.
I had a dream, a dream where you disappeared
So I opened my eyes, but why am I still dreaming
If it’s a dream, let me wake up
If it’s not, let me dream
If Eun-ho’s dream was a nightmare, I hoped he would wake up, and if it was a dream he wished for, I hoped he would continue dreaming.
No matter how much we fought, I didn’t want Eun-ho to be hurt.
We were the only family each other had.
Even if death separates us, we’ll always be together
We’ve faced death hand in hand
The life we carried at such a young age, as mere elementary school students, was different from that of our peers.
When I was kidnapped, when I bit the kidnapper’s arm and tried to escape, only to be caught and choked…
“You fucking bastard!”
Lee Eun-ho’s hand, swollen like my broken leg, as if he had forced the door latch open.
His shoes with worn-out soles.
Eun-ho pushed the kidnapper off me and quickly carried me on his back.
And he ran towards the light I hadn’t seen in days, the light I longed for.
“Why did you trust and follow a stranger! You idiot!”
Eun-ho yelled at me.
And we both cried our eyes out.
Tears of fear of losing each other, and relief at being reunited.
But why aren’t you saying anything today
Ah, reality hits me
The room I found is empty
Singing this song now…
I wanted to tell him that I was here.
I wanted to ask what was making Lee Eun-ho so anxious.
But I couldn’t say anything.
So I made it into a song.
NOOO WHO is cutting onions vro?? Sibling bonds always hurt the most I can’t